AB 916

Educational technology grants

This bill creates three educational technology grant programs administered by

the Department of Administration (DOA): the educational technology training and

technical assistance grant program, the educational technology block grant

program, and the educational technology infrastructure grant program.

Educational technology training and technical assistance grants

Under the bill, DOA is required to award grants for providing technical

assistance and training related to educational technology (educational technology

training and technical assistance grants). DOA may award educational technology

training and technical assistance grants to any of the following:

1. A cooperative educational service agency (CESA).

2. A consortium consisting of two or more school districts, independent charter

school authorizers, secured correctional facilities, or CESAs.

3. A consortium consisting of one or more school districts, independent charter

school authorizers, secured correctional facilities, or CESAs and at least one public

library board.

In awarding educational technology training and technical assistance grants,

DOA must award annually at least one grant to an applicant in each CESA territory

and at least five grants to applicants that include at least one school district whose

membership per square mile is less than 10. DOA must also give a preference to

consortia that include a public library. The bill limits the number of educational

technology training and technical assistance grants that DOA may grant in any

school year to 30. A recipient of an educational technology training and technical

assistance grant must provide information to DOA about training programs or

technical assistance funded by the grant, as requested by DOA after consulting with

the Department of Public Instruction (DPI).

Educational technology block grants

Under the bill, DOA is required to award grants to school districts, which may

be used for any purpose related to educational technology except for paying the

salary or benefits of a school district employee (educational technology block grants).

To become eligible for an educational technology block grant, a school board, or an

annual meeting in a common school district, must adopt a resolution to request the

grant. Annually, DOA must first award $3,000 to each eligible school district and

then distribute any remaining funding for the grants as following:

1. Two-thirds to eligible school districts whose membership per square mile is

less than 10.

2. One-third to eligible school districts whose membership per square mile is

10 or more.

A recipient of an educational technology block grant is required to provide

information to DOA about educational technology in the school district, as requested